Article Sidebar

Share this Story: Canada extends deadline for fighter jet proposals

Trending

Article content

The Canadian government has extended its deadline for proposals for new fighter jets.

At the request of industry, the March 30 deadline for preliminary proposals for the Future Fighter Capability Project has been moved until the summer, the federal government announced Tuesday. Eligible suppliers now have until June 30 to complete and submit their proposals.

Canada extends deadline for fighter jet proposalsBack to video

“The government set out an aggressive timeline to implement this very complex, high-value procurement, and while we understand the importance of this procurement for our women and men in uniform, our focus is on moving the process forward as quickly as we can, while ensuring that all bidders have the time they need to put forward their best proposal,” Procurement Minister Anita Anand said in a statement.

The fighter jet competition was launched on Dec. 12, 2017 and at this point three aircraft are to be considered. Those include the F-35, the Super Hornet, and the Gripen.

Advertisement

Story continues below

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content continued

A winning bidder is be chosen in 2022. The first aircraft would be delivered by 2025, according to the government’s schedule.

Technical merit will make up the bulk of the assessment at 60 per cent. Cost and economic benefits companies can provide to Canada will each be worth 20 per cent.

The Conservative government had previously selected the F-35 as the air force’s new jet, but backed away from that plan after concerns about the technology and growing cost.

During the 2015 election campaign, Justin Trudeau vowed that his government would not purchase the F-35. But at the same time, Trudeau stated his government would hold an open competition for the fighter purchase.

The Liberal government backed away from its promise to freeze out the F-35 and the aircraft is now seen as a front-runner in the competition as it has many supporters in the Royal Canadian Air Force. Many of Canada’s allies plan to operate the plane.

Notice for the Postmedia Network

This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.